Obligation
by Dawnie-7
Summary: What's Eating Gilbert Grape A look at Gibert Grape's thoughts at different moments throughout the movie.
1. Obligation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything relating to the motion picture What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I do, however, own the dvd, which was given to me by my parents for my 16th birthday, kudos for me!

**Summary:** Short fiction based on Gilbert's thoughts on different things throughout the movie.

**A/N:** Okay, I've finally been hit with some inspiration and this is what I came up with. I was hoping for it to be better but this is the best I can come up with at the moment. I'm thinking this will probably be a 3 part story, but I'm not entirely sure yet. If you have any thoughts or ideas or criticism, anything, I would be much oblige if you were to let me know in a review. And finally, if some things in this story are different from those in the movie, I'm sorry. So, without further delay, here it is.

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Endora. A quiet little town. The town where nothing much ever happens, and nothing much ever will. The most interesting thing to happen here is the annual trailer passing. They're doing the smart thing by just passing through. Some days I wish I could just pass on through with them and see what lies on the roads up ahead. But I don't.

I spend my days working at a small grocery store, while everyone else shops at Food Land off the interstate miles away from town. Most people my age are off on their own by now, away from home, making their dreams come true. But not me. No, I'm stuck at home, watching my dreams fly out the window. I suppose I have my old man to thank for that. You see he killed himself some years back. Hung himself in the basement to be more exact. Hung himself and left me the responsibility of taking care of the house. Thanks a lot dad.

So here I am, stuck in this house. Well I suppose I really shouldn't say stuck. After all, who would be able to stop me if I just up and left and never looked back huh? I would finally be like Larry, my older brother. The one who got away. The one I've envied for years now. I could do it, I could easily do it. But no, I won't. I can't. It's wouldn't be fair. Not to Amy, not to Ellen, not to Arnie, and certainly not to Mama. I don't think her heart could take it if I just left like daddy did. And who would take care of Arnie? Not Amy, she's too busy being the mother of the house and taking care of Mama. Not Ellen, she's too busy taking care of herself. And not Mama, she can _barely_ take care of herself. So that leaves me.

I guess you could say I'm a dreamer. Most days I wake up and just wish that they were gone. I know it seems cruel but atleast that way I wouldn't have anything tying me down to this hell hole. Nothing to keep me here. I could just pack my things and leave like I've always wanted and finally be able to live my life. But then I hear Arnie's voice echoing throughout the house and that's when reality hits, and it hits hard. I'm not going anywhere. I have responsibilities here and I can't just abandon them. Daddy left me in charge of the household and it's my obligation to fulfill that duty wheater I like it or not.

But do I really have room to complain? I mean, when you think about it, there's gotta be people out there somewhere who have it much worse than I do. But in the end, is it really so bad to want more out of life? The hell if I know.


	2. Becky

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with owning What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Only the dvd.  
  
A/N: Okay, chapter 2 here we are. The chapters are short, I know, terribly sorry about that. Anyways, before we get started I have a question to ask. You see, I want to make a short little movie type thing with my dad's new video camera but the problem is, I have no idea what to do. So if you have any suggestions I would really appreciate it you could send them in. Thanks very much.  
  
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Becky, hmmm. Now talk about an interesting turn of events. I never really understood what it meant when people would talk about someone coming into theirs lives, making them do a complete 180, and never even seen it coming. Never fully understood when they would talk about how love blind sighted them. Well, now I know. I didn't know that all that mumble jumble was actually true. I always thought it was just some bullshit sweet talk that people would say to get their partner in the sack. Well, once again, now I know differently.  
  
I never saw Becky or how she would change my life coming. I've never seen a girl like her before. So............ caring, funny, lovable, understanding, carefree, and just so genuinely full of life. And with all that going for her, who does she choose to befriend? Me. Of all people, she chooses me. I don't know what she sees in me but apparently it's something. And to be perfectly honest, I'm glad she chose me. I may not deserve her, but I sure am glad I have her. I couldn't ask for anything better.   
  
Sure there was Betty, and don't get me wrong, she was fun. For a while anyways. What with the thrill and excitement of it all, who would pass that up? But it just got........... I don't know........... old. It just wasn't the same anymore. It just got old and tirering. And it certainly didn't help any with her husband breathing down my back and sending me those subtle death threats, like that one talk about health insurance.   
  
But then Becky came along and things are just never boring with her. Even that one night where we watched the sunset. Even though that was all we did, it was nice. That was the first time in a long time when I could jus relax and get away from it all. Forget my worries and just escape. That night still goes down as one of the best days of my life. She makes me a better person. Not only that, she makes me WANT to be a better person. I think that's one of the best gifts a person could give you. But, of course, all good things must come to an end.  
  
I knew it would come sooner or later, but what can I say, I was in serious denial. I had a good thing going for me, again for the first time in a long time, and I did not want to face the fact that it would be ending any day now. But finally, I couldn't ignore it any longer. The truck started and they were ready to pack up their things and leave just like that. It felt like my heart had stopped. The pain was so ad I couldn't face it. But I don't have the right to be mad at her do I? Half my life I've just wanted to leave and be able to come and go as I pleased. And now I'm mad at her for doing exactly that? That's just not right. Truth was, I wasn't mad at her. Just disappointed. We had a good thing going and didn't want anything to interfere with that. But it's not like I 'm never going to see her again. I guess you could call that the silver lining. Life goes on and I will see her again.  
  
I learned an important thing with Becky. It doesn't matter how many bad memories you have. All you need is one, just one good memory to make everything balance out. And without a doubt, Becky is one of the best memories I have. 


	3. Goodbye Mama

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with owning What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Only the dvd.  
  
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Have you ever prepared yourself for something that you knew one day would come? You get this vision in your head of how things will play out and how you will cope and what not. You do this for big events, weather they be happy or sad ones, that you know are coming, and after a while you say to yourself, 'Alright, I'm ready.' And you really believe it too. You really believe that you're going to be able to handle this life changing event without much difficulty.  
  
Have you ever done this? If you have, then let me ask you this, when did you realize that it was all bullshit?  
  
The truth is, you can prepare and tell yourself you're ready all you like, but it's all one big lie. Because in the end, when it's all said and done, you're never ready. And saying that you are is just a mind game you play on yourself to soften the blow.  
  
That's what it was like when Mama died. I knew it would happen one day, and I, like an idiot, thought I was ready for it. But I wasn't.   
  
Not now. Not so soon. Not after I finally learned to appreciate her. Why now? Why did God have to take her now?   
  
And that's another thing. Everybody says that God is so great and that he does everything for a reason. Well what good reason could there possibly be for this? What good reason is there to take a woman away from the family that needs her? Is it to teach us responsibility? Well, if there truly is a God, then he sure has a cruel way of thinking.  
  
But wait! Maybe this is all a mistake. Maybe she's just in a deep sleep. But no, no matter how hard I try, she won't wake up. And she never will. She will continue to stay in her slumber, just like Sleeping Beauty.   
  
It's funny how I never realized it before, but Mama really is beautiful. Probably the most beautiful person I've ever seen. And I don't mean just physically. I mean mentally, emotionally and everything in between. She was definitely a one in a kind gal. She's gonna make a great angel. And maybe now she can finally be with daddy again.  
  
And then Ellen brings me back to reality. 'There's gonna be a crowd.' And she's right. It would take a crane to get Mama out of here. Of course there's gonna be a crowd. And why? Because we live in a sick society where people get pleasure out of other people's misery. Well not this time. No. These people are gonna have to get their kicks some place else. I've hurt Mama too many times in the past and I'm through with that. She's not a joke. And there's no way I'm ever gonna let her be one again. She started her life here, and it's only right that she ends it here. It's finally time to say goodbye.  
  
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It's been a year now, and Arnie's about to turn 19, 19! Amy got a job at a bakery, Ellen finally got to switch highschools, and I am pretty much able to do whatever I want. It's what I've always waned, isn't it? So why doesn't it feel as good as I always imagined it would? I guess it's because Mama's gone.  
  
So yeah, I finally got what I wanted, but what a price I had to pay. But that's alright, there's no use dwelling in the past. Mama would have wanted me to be happy. And I will be. I have a whole new life ahead of me, and I'm ready to live it. 


End file.
